1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to apparatus and methods for installing a mat in a body of water.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mats may be used for marine applications where separation, stabilization, protection and scour prevention is needed for pipelines and other sea floor installations are submerged in water. The mats provide resistance to hydrodynamic forces caused by currents along a sea floor, where the forces can move and/or damage the installed objects. In an example, a pipeline disposed on the sea floor is covered with a mat to stabilize the pipeline beneath the weight of the mat to resist sea floor currents.
In some cases, the size of the mats is limited due to weight and difficulty moving mats prior to installation on a sea floor. For example, concrete mats may be poured and cured in molds at a manufacturing site, removed from the molds and shipped to a dockside location where a vessel having a crane transports the mats to an installation site. Transportation of the mats from the manufacturing site to the dockside location can be costly due to the weight and size of the mats. The size and weight of the mats may also be limited by moving and lifting mechanisms capability to maneuver these objects.
In addition, a frame used for installation may be coupled two edges of the mat to properly support the load of the mat. The frame may be a significant load itself, thus reducing the size of mats lowered to the sea floor in each trip, thus causing more trips from the surface to the floor. Accordingly, the total installation time for a mat assembly at a location may be increased due to multiple trips caused by the load of lowering the frame itself.